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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Pushkar Fair | World's largest camel fair (Kartik Purnima, Ajmer); 20,000+ animals traded; coincides with Brahma temple pilgrimage; UNESCO ICH contender | High |
| Gangaur | 18-day women's festival (Holi → Chaitra Shukla Tritiya); Parvati's reunion with Shiva; absent from other Indian states; Jaipur Gangaur procession most elaborate | High |
| Teej | Monsoon onset festival (Shravan Shukla Tritiya); women's vrat for husbands; Jaipur Teej procession since 1778 CE; green/turquoise colour theme | High |
| Urs (Ajmer) | Annual 6-day commemoration of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (d. 1236 CE) in Rajab; Hindu-Muslim composite; PM chaadar tradition; qawwali; 3–4 lakh visitors | High |
| Ramdevra Fair | Fair at Ramdevji's samadhi (Jaisalmer); Bhadra Shukla 2–11; Ramdevji worshipped as Ramapir (Hindu) and Ramsa Pir (Muslim) — classic composite deity | High |
| Beneshwar Fair | Rajasthan's largest tribal fair (Magh Purnima, Dungarpur); Mahi-Som-Jakham confluence; 4–5 lakh Bhils; called "Kumbh of Tribals"; honours Mavji Maharaj | High |
| Gogamedi Fair | Fair at Goga Jahar Vir's cenotaph (Hanumangarh, Bhadra Shukla Navami); Goga worshipped as Hindu snake deity and Goga Pir by Muslims; 5–6 lakh pilgrims | High |
| Nagaur Fair | Asia's second-largest cattle fair (Magh, 4 days); bullocks, horses, camels; also brass utensil and textile trade; state-level designation | High |
| Kaila Devi Fair | Chaitra fair at Trikuta hills, Karauli; 15–20 lakh pilgrims; Rajasthan's largest fair by attendance; river Kalisil setting | High |
| Tilwara Fair | Cattle fair on Luni River (Barmer, Magh); third-largest cattle fair in Rajasthan; famous for Mallinath cattle breed; shares name with Mesolithic archaeological site | Medium |
| Makar Sankranti | 14 January kite festival; Jaipur International Kite Festival (since 1989); Rajasthan accounts for ~30% of India's kite production | Medium |
| Kartik Purnima | Full moon day in Kartik month (Oct–Nov); sacred bathing day at Pushkar; Pushkar Fair's peak day | High |
| Chaadar (at Urs) | Floral or embroidered covering sent to the Ajmer Dargah at Urs; symbolises respect from sender; Prime Minister traditionally sends a national chaadar | Medium |
| Qawwali | Sufi devotional music performance; integral to Urs at Ajmer Dargah; pioneered in India by Chishtiya order; bridge between classical and folk music | Medium |
| Tribeni Sangam | Confluence of three rivers; sacred bathing spot; Beneshwar = Mahi-Som-Jakham confluence; mirrors Prayag's Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati pattern | Medium |
| Fairs and Festivals Policy (2015) | Rajasthan government policy classifying fairs as National, State, District, and Local; mandates RTDC "signature events" for international promotion | High |
| Composite Deity | Folk deity worshipped by both Hindu and Muslim communities; Rajasthan examples: Ramdevji (Ramapir/Ramsa Pir), Gogaji (Goga Pir), Tejaji | High |
| Mavji Maharaj | 17th-18th century Bhil religious reformer from Sabla (Dungarpur); honoured at Beneshwar Fair; considered avatar of Vishnu by Bhil community | Medium |
| Khatu Shyamji Fair | Fair at Khatu Shyamji temple (Sikar); massive pilgrimage especially during Phalgun Shukla Ekadashi-Dwadashi (Laccha Mela); one of India's largest Shyam bhakti centres | High |
| Desert Festival (Jaisalmer) | Annual 3-day tourism event (Magh); camel races, folk performances, turban-tying, Mr. Desert contest; RTDC "signature event"; held near Sam sand dunes | Medium |
| Elephant Festival (Jaipur) | Held on Holi at Chaugan Stadium, Jaipur; decorated elephant procession, polo, tug-of-war with elephant; RTDC signature tourism event | Medium |
| Gangaur procession (Jaipur) | Annual procession during Gangaur from City Palace with royal family clay idols; heritage spectacle; 18th-century tradition maintained by Jaipur Heritage Committee | Medium |
| Mangarh Hill | Site of 1913 massacre of 1,500 Bhil tribals; Banswara; "Adivasi Jallianwala Bagh"; national importance declared by PM Modi 2022; annual memorial fair held here | High |
| Gogaji (Goga Jahar Vir) | Folk deity worshipped as Hindu snake protector and Goga Pir by Muslims; Hanumangarh; Bhadra Shukla Navami; 5–6 lakh annual pilgrims; snake-bite protection deity | High |
| Kartik Purnima (Pushkar) | Sacred bathing date at Pushkar lake; peak of Pushkar Fair; pilgrims take ritual dip in the sacred lake connected to the only Brahma temple in India | High |
Topic 7 of 138 | Paper I, Unit 1 — History | Generated: 2026-04-06